Upscale Dining Destinations in Dallas, Texas

See why these two luxe restaurants are our top reservation requests

Written by Holly Haber

Top Dallas chef Kent Rathbun, and his wife, Tracy, have a thing for Asian cuisines—all of them. They channeled that passion into Imoto, a new upscale restaurant in rebounding Victory Park. The concept is a fantastic bar, really awesome sushi and food from all over Asia—Thai to Chinese to Indian, Japanese, Korean,” Kent notes. “We love all kinds of Asian food, so we didn’t want to pigeonhole ourselves.”

Among his favorite dishes are Vietnamese chargrilled duck spring rolls, grilled lamb curry clay pot and a one-bite treat of Japanese sea urchin wrapped in toro tuna. Pea shoots, purple amaranth and sprouts couldn’t be fresher—they’re harvested to order from a garden-like display near the sushi bar.

Chef Kent Rathbun of Imoto

Kent is best known for the delectable global menu he created at Abacus, and his signature lobster shooters are also on tap at Imoto.

Zaytinya has made The Star in Frisco—a 91-acre development anchored by the Dallas Cowboys headquarters—an unlikely foodie destination. Like its Washington, DC sister restaurant, Zaytinya’s inventive menu draws from Turkish, Greek and Lebanese fare as interpreted by star chef José Andrés and his team at ThinkFoodGroup.

Think marinated roasted red peppers with feta and thyme, Mediterranean octopus over yellow split pea puree and roasted lamb phyllo pie. The small “mezze” plates build on Andrés’ deep knowledge of Mediterranean cooking and years of research and travel. Go for the Chef’s Experience, a smorgasbord of veggie, seafood, meat and dessert plates, each harboring a symphony of flavors. It’s a steal for $65.

Zaytinya is the first Texas venture for the Michelin-starred chef and James Beard Foundation 2018 Humanitarian of the Year. Andrés landed in Puerto Rico five days after Hurricane Maria and began cooking, establishing a network that served more than 3.5 million meals—more than any other aid group.